The 2016 Eliteserien promotion/relegation play-offs was the 43rd time a spot in the Eliteserien are decided by play-off matches between top tier and second level clubs.
At the end of the 2016 season, Bodø/Glimt and Start were relegated directly to 2017 OBOS-ligaen, and was replaced by Kristiansund and Sandefjord who were directly promoted.
The play-offs between Eliteserien and OBOS-ligaen have been held every year since 1972 with exceptions in 1994 and 2011. They take place for the two divisions following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the fourteenth-placed club in Eliteserien and the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places in OBOS-ligaen. The fixtures are determined by final league position – the first to knockout-rounds begins with the four teams in the OBOS-ligaen: 3rd v 6th and 4th v 5th, and the winner then play each other to determine who meet the Eliteserien club in the final.
Five teams entered a play-off for the last Eliteserien spot for the 2017 season. These were:
The four OBOS-ligaen teams first played a single game knockout tournament, with the winner (Jerv) advancing to a two-legged tie against the Eliteserien team (Stabæk) for the 16th and final spot in the 2017 Eliteserien season. Stabæk maintained their position in the top flight with a 2–1 win on aggregate against Jerv.
The third to sixth-placed teams in 2016 OBOS-ligaen took part in the promotion play-offs; these were single leg knockout matches, two semi-finals and a final. The winners of the second round, Jerv, advanced to play the 14th placed team in Eliteserien over two legs in the Eliteserien play-offs for a spot in the top-flight next season.
The 14th-placed team, Stabæk, took part in a two-legged play-off against Jerv, the winners of the 2016 First Division promotion play-offs, to decide who would play in the 2017 Eliteserien.Stabæk won 2–1 on aggregate and retained their place in the 2017 Eliteserien; Jerv remained in the First Division.